Martin Winkler, a candidate for mayor of Bratislava, has filed a complaint with the General Prosecutor’s Office. The reason is a suspicion of embezzlement at the Bratislava Transport Company. According to him, a small group of inspectors has been systematically defrauding the city’s public transit operator for a long time. They use a sophisticated scheme involving fines. Management is alleged to be aware of the problem but has taken no action.
How the fine-based fraud scheme worked
According to Winkler, this is a well-coordinated system. Only a fraction of the 25 inspectors are involved. Most inspectors perform their duties conscientiously. But a minority abuses cash payments.
The fraud mechanism combines cash and card payments via a terminal:
- The inspector catches a passenger without a ticket. For a cash fine of 80 euros, he issues an incomplete fine slip, keeping a copy for himself.
- To the next passenger, who pays the fine by card through the terminal, the inspector does not issue any ticket. Most people, especially foreigners, are unaware that a separate receipt is required for card payments.
- The unscrupulous inspector then combines the terminal payment with the copy of the original cash ticket at the central office. He alters the time and details.
- Formally, he reports a single fine. But in reality, he has received the money twice and kept the cash for himself.
Winkler calculated that five such illegal transactions per shift bring one inspector about 400 euros. If several people are involved, this can amount to up to 2,000 euros per day. Over the course of a year, the total exceeds half a million euros. He backs up his claims with a written statement from an employee addressed to management, as well as conversations with former employees.
The Position of the Bratislava Transport Company
The Bratislava Transport Company (DPB) strongly rejects the allegations. It views the entire situation as part of an election campaign. According to the transport company, a report regarding suspicions of illegal activity was received as early as February of this year.
An internal audit and control mechanisms revealed the following facts:
- The actual commission of a crime was not confirmed in the cases investigated.
- However, the internal irregularities and rule violations that were identified led to the gradual dismissal of five inspectors.
- Since July, all inspectors have been required to wear body cameras. The company has implemented additional, stricter measures.
Proposed Solutions
To eliminate such risks and protect the municipal company’s finances, Winkler proposes two main steps. Fines must be paid exclusively by card or directly at the carrier’s official offices. There should be no option to accept cash on the spot. At the same time, he calls for the implementation of a strict electronic logging system. Under this system, every fine must be recorded immediately in real time.
